Ferry ridership up slightly but still down more than half from 1990s

Passenger and vehicle traffic aboard the Alaska Marine Highway System moved slightly higher in 2024 from 2023, but still is less than half its peak from the early 1990s.

The state ferries carried just over 185,000 passengers and about 65,000 vehicles last year on its routes stretching from Southeast to Prince William Sound and into several Gulf of Alaska coastal communities.

That’s down from more than 400,000 passengers and 110,000 vehicles 1990-1992.

And it’s down from more than 325,000 passengers as recently as the early 2010s.

Marine Director Craig Tornga presented the numbers twice on Feb....